India is considering holding NEET and other entrance examinations twice annually under proposed reforms, but no final government notification has been issued.
The Central government is considering major changes to India’s entrance-examination system, including the possibility of conducting NEET-UG and other high-stakes tests twice a year.
The proposals are being examined by the High-Powered Task Force on examination reforms chaired by Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani. However, no final decision has been announced, and the government has not yet issued revised examination rules.
Reports describing the changes as an approved policy are therefore premature. The proposals will become effective only after the government accepts the task force’s recommendations and the relevant examination authorities publish formal notifications.
Government Panel Preparing Examination-Reform Roadmap
The government constituted the Nilekani-led task force to recommend comprehensive reforms covering the design, conduct, security and governance of public examinations, particularly tests administered by the National Testing Agency.
The task force invited suggestions from students, parents, teachers, state governments, examination authorities and other stakeholders until September 13, 2026.
The government informed the Supreme Court that the panel was expected to submit its first interim report by the end of September. The panel has also consulted former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, who led an earlier committee formed following concerns over NEET-UG.
Proposal for Two Attempts Every Year
One of the proposals under consideration is to offer candidates two opportunities during the same academic year, with the better score potentially being used for admission.
Supporters argue that this system could reduce the pressure associated with a single high-stakes examination. A candidate affected by illness, technical problems or other unexpected circumstances would receive another opportunity without losing an entire year.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has separately recommended conducting NEET-UG twice annually and considering a two-stage format for major competitive examinations. Under the suggested system, an initial test could shortlist candidates before a second examination determines final selection.
These are stakeholder recommendations submitted to the government task force, not final rules.
JEE Main Already Conducted in Two Sessions
JEE Main is already generally conducted in two sessions during the year, allowing engineering aspirants to appear more than once and use their better NTA score.
Official JEE Main records show that the 2026 examination was conducted through Session 1 and Session 2. The proposed reform would therefore have a greater impact on NEET-UG and other examinations currently offering only one annual opportunity.
NEET-UG continues to operate as a single common and uniform entrance examination for undergraduate medical admissions. Candidates should not assume that a twice-yearly format has been confirmed for NEET 2027 unless the National Testing Agency or the Ministry of Education issues a formal notice.
Computer-Based NEET Also Under Consideration
The task force is also examining the transition of NEET from a pen-and-paper examination to computer-based testing.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh recently said NEET would move towards computer-based testing, although the necessary examination centres, digital infrastructure and security safeguards must first be expanded.
Other reforms being discussed include:
- Secure or encrypted transmission of question papers
- Greater use of government-controlled examination centres
- Stronger identity verification and digital security
- Independent audits of examination processes
- Permanent institutional arrangements for conducting NEET
- Better coordination between school curricula and entrance-test syllabi
- Measures to reduce excessive dependence on coaching institutes
Challenges of Holding NEET Twice a Year
Conducting NEET twice annually would require significantly greater infrastructure because the examination attracts more than two million candidates.
Authorities would need sufficient computers and secure centres across urban and rural areas. They would also have to create two question papers with comparable difficulty, prevent normalisation disputes and ensure that candidates from economically weaker or remote backgrounds are not disadvantaged.
The schedule would need to account for board examinations, results, counselling and the beginning of the medical academic session.
Until the government accepts the task force’s recommendations, the existing examination pattern will remain in force. Students should rely only on notices published by the Ministry of Education, NTA and the official NEET and JEE websites.
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